LeetCode //C - 829. Consecutive Numbers Sum

829. Consecutive Numbers Sum

Given an integer n, return the number of ways you can write n as the sum of consecutive positive integers.
 

Example 1:

Input: n = 5
Output: 2
Explanation: 5 = 2 + 3

Example 2:

Input: n = 9
Output: 3
Explanation: 9 = 4 + 5 = 2 + 3 + 4

Example 3:

Input: n = 15
Output: 4
Explanation: 15 = 8 + 7 = 4 + 5 + 6 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5

Constraints:

• $1<=n<=10^9$

From: LeetCode
Link: 829. Consecutive Numbers Sum

Solution:

Ideas:

• We try every possible sequence length k (number of terms in the sequence).

• The formula for the sum of k consecutive integers starting from x is:
  n = k * x + k*(k - 1)/2

• Rearranged:
  x = (n - k*(k - 1)/2) / k

• x must be a positive integer ⇒ (n - k*(k-1)/2) % k == 0

• The loop runs as long as the sum of the smallest k numbers (k*(k-1)/2) is less than n.

• Time complexity is roughly O(√(2n)) since k*(k-1)/2 < n.

Code:

int consecutiveNumbersSum(int n) {
    int count = 0;
    // Try all possible lengths k of sequences from 1 upwards
    for (int k = 1; k * (k - 1) / 2 < n; ++k) {
        // Check if there exists an x such that n = k * x + k*(k-1)/2
        if ((n - k * (k - 1) / 2) % k == 0)
            count++;
    }
    return count;
}